The former provincial superior of the German Jesuits from 2010 to 2017, and current editor-in-chief of a Jesuit cultural magazine, has criticised the Catholic Church’s governance as overly “monarchical” and called for significantly greater participation of women in leadership roles in an article released on 1 June.

In his entry published in the latest issue of Stimmen der Zeit, Fr Stefan Kiechle writes: “Leadership in the Church is monarchical: a parish priest has the final say in his parish. A bishop decides whether or not to implement in his diocese what is decided in the bishops’ conference or in a possibly synodal body. Finally, a pope decides for the universal Church; he appoints decision-makers; he establishes law, adjudicates disputes and applies law at his discretion.”

He describes this structure as “an absolute monarchy” and notes that “the Holy See is the last of its kind in Europe”. Fr Kiechle questions whether the current constitution is divinely ordained, asking: “Is the current constitution [of the Church] truly God-given?” He suggests that reforms should proceed in a decentralised manner, with Rome granting greater freedom to bishops’ conferences and local synodal bodies to take the first steps.

On the role of women, he states: “Women make up the (larger) half of the Church’s membership, yet their involvement in leadership – not only in administration but also in shaping the substance of Church life – has been severely limited.” He adds that many women, “especially educated ones”, are frustrated: “They no longer attend Mass because they believe they could preach better themselves, and they no longer go to Confession because they don’t want to share intimate matters with a (celibate) man.” According to Fr Kiechle, many withdraw into their own circles or leave the Church altogether.

The former provincial suggests that reforms should proceed in a decentralised manner: “No, we could proceed in a decentralised manner by having ‘Rome’ grant the bishops’ conferences – or, better yet, local synodal bodies – the freedom to take the first steps forward.” He notes that in religious orders, “women’s orders are led by women – hopefully without interference from male superiors – and men’s orders by men”, arguing that frustration is found more in the diocesan and global Church.

Fr Kiechle’s article is situated in the context of ongoing tensions within parts of the German Church and the Jesuit order between calls for greater synodality and the Church’s unchanging doctrine on apostolic succession and sacred orders.

Once renowned for its fierce loyalty to the papacy and doctrinal orthodoxy during the Counter-Reformation, the Society of Jesus has in modern times seen some of its most prominent theologians face formal censure from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Founded by St Ignatius of Loyola in 1540 specifically to serve the Pope and combat heresy during the Reformation, the order produced generations of staunch defenders of Catholic teaching. In recent decades, however, several prominent Jesuit figures and provinces – particularly in Germany, Belgium and parts of North America – have been associated with positions that diverge from traditional doctrine.

Among them are Fr Jacques Dupuis SJ, whose 1997 book on religious pluralism was the subject of a 2001 Notification for serious ambiguities concerning the uniqueness of Christ; Fr Roger Haight SJ, whose 1999 work Jesus Symbol of God was condemned in 2004 for errors on the divinity of Christ and the Trinity; and Fr Jon Sobrino SJ, whose liberation theology writings were criticised in 2006 for undermining classical Christology. Such cases have contributed to a perception among many faithful Catholics that certain quarters of the Jesuit order have moved away from the robust fidelity to Church teaching that once defined the Society.

Other examples include Fr James Martin SJ’s high-profile advocacy for greater inclusion of LGBT Catholics, which has drawn repeated criticism from bishops for perceived ambiguity on Church teaching on sexuality. In Germany, Jesuit involvement in the Synodal Way has included support for women’s ordination study and the blessing of same-sex unions. Fr Kiechle’s own article, with its questioning of the Church’s “monarchical” constitution as potentially not divinely ordained, fits within this broader pattern of public dissent from elements of ecclesiology long considered settled teaching.

The Catholic Church has consistently taught that the monarchical structure of the papacy and the reservation of Holy Orders to men were instituted by Christ Himself. The First Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution Pastor Aeternus (1870) solemnly defined the universal primacy of the Roman Pontiff as of divine institution, stating that “full power has been given by our Lord Jesus Christ to tend, rule and govern the universal Church”.

Fr Kiechle’s intervention comes as the German Church continues to press for structural changes following its multi-year Synodal Way process. In 2023 the German bishops voted in favour of studying women’s ordination and formally asked Pope Leo XIV to allow further discussion on the matter.